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Daily Scripture

+ 7th Week of Easter

“Parting is such sweet sorrow.”

Readings: Acts 20:17-27 Psalm 68:10-11, 20-21 John 17:1-11

I am in the world no longer, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. [John 17:11]

Shakespeare ‘penned’ the phrase quoted above. I didn’t understand it as a student of Shakespeare in high school but I began to understand it when I waved goodbye to my family as I sailed off to Italy on September 21, 1963 for a three-year stretch in Rome. In fact, it has multiple meanings and applications that I appreciate now more than ever before.

There is another phrase that perhaps gives credence to my thoughts so poorly expressed and it’s this: “Absence makes the heart grow fonder.” Ah, that’s it. At times we need to separate from ‘the source’ in order to appreciate how important it is to stay connected.

The farewell speech of St. Paul in Acts and the farewell ‘prayer’ of Jesus in John’s gospel were more likely composed by the authors of these texts along the lines of the farewell speeches of great leaders of their times in order to attract the attention of Jesus’ followers.

The departure of Jesus and later that of Paul created ‘fallow’ time in the hearts of the neophyte believers that was absolutely necessary if they were to grasp the significance of Jesus’ message and the teachings of St. Paul.

We are once again in ‘fallow’ time as we prepare for Pentecost. It’s a time of discernment during which we are invited to ponder the words and deeds of Jesus so that in his absence, we may come to know his presence in the Spirit that remains within us and around us.

As we ponder, it is important to reflect on the gifts of the Holy Spirit: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and reverence of the Lord. And the fruits of the Holy Spirit are qualities that are characteristic of a community living in Christ: charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty self-control and chastity.

There is much to ponder as we wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.

Daily Scripture

Tuesday February 3, 2009

+ 4th Week in Ordinary Time

“…And we believe in the communion of saints…”

Readings: Hebrews 12:1-4 Psalm 22:26-27, 28, 30-32 Mark 5:21-43

With so many witnesses in a great cloud on every side of us, we too, then, should throw off everything that hinders us, especially the sin that clings to easily, and keep running steadily in the race we have started. [Hebrews 12:1]

My ‘home’ parish church is of Neo Gothic architecture, also called Gothic Revival. Over time it became somewhat eclectic and, pardon the expression, bastardized with ‘Barclay Street’ artifacts. Statues of prominent and not-so-prominent saints ‘graced’ or I probably should say, overwhelmed the sanctuary competing with the ‘high’ altar. I can still see the old plaster statue of St. Rita with crystal eyes and pealing black painted habit with the small candles flickering in front. St. Rita was considered the patron of desperate cases long before St. Jude took over those responsibilities. There was no statue of St. Patrick until the assignment of native-born Irish pastor Francis J Doogan who installed a ‘Barclay Street’ image of Patty right next to St. Joseph!

I think most ‘balanced’ traditional Catholics will agree that some folks’ devotional trust in saints had become over time excessive even to the extent that it exceeded full participation in the Eucharist.

Vatican II had the effect of ‘cleaning up’ the sanctuary and in many cases, the entire church! But with the wisdom of pastorally sensitive leaders, saints have been reintroduced to the Church, most with greater artistic accommodation but are no longer in competition with the tabernacle or Eucharist table.

It still remains true, however, that saints are to be admired but not always imitated. Some of them were eccentric. In fact, in some cases it was their eccentricities that won them the honor of sainthood! Nevertheless, we can imitate their steadfastness and faithfulness to their own devotion to their unique vocation in their time and place. In fact, their example gives us the hope that we too can persevere.

But in the end, Jesus remains the perfect exemplar of what we are destined to be and he is not only our role model but he gives us the grace to endurance and perseverance.

We are all called to strive for holiness through our own unique vocation in our own time and place. Nothing more, nothing less.